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CIB vs loose: what completeness means on the shelf

2026-09-09

Collectors argue about CIB in comment threads. On the shelf, it is simpler: does this copy include the bits that “complete” usually means for that platform, or is it just the game?

Loose is the cart, disc, or download code in whatever lonely form you found it. CIB (complete in box) usually means original box, manual, and game, with platform quirks — inserts, registration cards, and foam vary by era. Sealed means factory sealed, and it should not share a mental bucket with a well-loved CIB copy.

Why the label matters in a tracker

Live prices on RetroStronghold are split by condition for a reason. If you mark everything loose, your collection value will read low. If you mark player copies as sealed for the dopamine, it will read like fiction.

Condition lives on the item so the number matches the copy. Upgrade the field when you reunite a manual with a cart. Do not invent a second game.

Platform quirks in one sentence each

N64 “CIB” without the manual is a debate; be honest in the notes. GameCube cases yellow and crack — the disc can still be fine. SNES boxes are tall and easy to crush; many “collections” are cart drawers with a dream of cardboard later.

Log what you have today. Completeness is a project, not a moral grade. Start free, use the Index when you need the right release row, and get Membership when you want every price on that list updated automatically.

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